Downhill Tracks

like a lion and is still roaring. The
Nor'easter of the millennium emptied grocery shelves in New Jersey
but dumped three feet of glorious white stuff in Vermont. With a
snow depth of seven-and-a-half feet reported in some areas,
northern ski resorts are gearing up for a spring fling unlike any
seen in the past 30 years.

Traditionally the first
resort

to open and the last to close
in

the east, Killington is set
for

what it calls its "third season." The fifth
annual Sunshine Daydream event marks nostalgia time for Age of
Aquarius types for whom tie-dying was high-tech, the world glowed
through rose-colored glasses, and peace, love, and rock and roll
were on the agenda.

All day on Saturday, March 31, Killington
deadheads can twirl and whirl to Grateful Dead classics, tie-dye
Sunshine Daydream T-shirts (a $10 bargain), and spring ski or ride
all day. Crafters schooled in the traditional style of the 60s will
be displaying and selling their wares. There will be tape-trading,
call-the-tune contests, everyone's favorite grilled cheese lunch,
and mellow oldies by Starving Hand and local favorites Rick
Reddington and the Huge Members.

"Here at Killington we support the same
spirit that fueled the Grateful Dead experience-honoring nature,
respect for your fellow citizens, and, most importantly, a strong
focus on fun," said Steve Wright, Killington director of
communications. "We have a loyal following that looks forward to
this event every year. It's grown by leaps and bounds since we
first started it four years ago."

Sunshine Daydream will take place at the
Killington base lodge beginning at 10 a.m., and admission is free.
Music will start up at 11 a.m., and the party continues until the
lifts close for the day. Packages are available starting at $63 per
person per day. For reservations, call (800) 621-MTNS.

Looking way ahead to spring's finale,
Killington is hosting Rage Weekend on May 26-28 with a Memorial Day
Triathlon. The grueling events, open to anyone who has the stamina
to participate, begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, with a kayak
relay race across Snowshed Pond. Sunday features a three-part race
that segues from winter into summer.

The endurance test begins
at

10 a.m. with a ski or snowboard run down the
Superstar Trail. Next, racers trade their boards for mountain bikes
and ride a typically muddy 6.2-mile cross-country course on
Killington's mountain bike trails. The last leg of the meet is a
three-mile run. Competition is limited to the first 500 applicants,
who vie for an assortment of prizes. All receive a Killington
Triathlon shirt. Participation costs $35 for season pass-holders
and $45 for others. Call (802) 422-1700 for registration forms or
log on to www.killington.com.

Other New England areas are offering bargain
come-ons to coincide with tulip time. Anyone with the foresight to
think of next year now can gobble up the 2001-2002 Anytime Threedom
Pass covering New Hampshire's Loon Mountain, Cranmore, and
Waterville Valley. On sale until May 1 at the special price of $399
for adults, $299 for teens 13-17, and $249 for youngsters 6-12, the
offer includes a

10 percent discount on food at the three
resorts and provides unlimited access to a total of 656 acres, 121
slopes and trails, and 29 lifts.

Brodie Mountain in Massachusetts is offering
a $249 season pass good day and night. Purchased now, it will be
valid

at both Jiminy Peak and Brodie Mountain to
the end of this season and at Jiminy Peak next year any time Brodie
is not operating. In this way, passholders can take advantage of
the longest ski and snowboard season in Berkshire County. To order,
call (413) 443-4752 or stop by Brodie Mountain before May
31.

If your budget and vacation days allow for a
longer spring break, some great deals can be found out west. Park
City, Utah, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics, is the object of a
five-night, four-day package that provides lodging at the Yarrow
Hotel and four days of skiing at Park City at a cost of $513 per
person, double occupancy, including transfers from the airport.
Check out Sportours at (800) 660-2754, or
www.sportours.com.

Turn back the clock to 1994 at Steamboat,
Colorado, for its inflation-busting "Steamboat Spring Fling" in
early April. Packages include two to five nights of lodging, lift
tickets, and a Saturday apres-ski party with free beer, hot dogs,
music and prizes. Prices start at $93 per person for a two-night
package. Accommodations may include three-bedroom condos with
ski-in, ski-out access. Try Travel Organizers at (800) 283-2754 or
www.travelorganizers.com.

Sun Valley, Idao, has a new Interchangeable
Activities Ticket Program that allows you to swap a one-day lift
ticket for any of nine other alternatives, including meals and
massages.

If you want to skip skiing for a day, take
your pick from snowshoeing, ice skating, and cross-country ski
outings, lunch included. Indulge in Sunday brunch at the elegant
Sun Valley Lodge. For a mini-vacation that includes five nights in
a two-bedroom condominium (the fifth night is free) and a four-day
activity pass priced at $375 per person (based on four adults), any
time between March 24 and April 15, contact Daman-Nelson Travel at
(800) 34DAMAN or www.skirun.com.

If you can't stand the sight of melting
snow, you can always opt for endless winter in the southern
hemisphere. At Valle Nevado, Chile, in the heart of the Andes
mountains, packages can be had for seven nights' lodging, six days
of lift tickets, daily breakfast and dinner, and airport transfers
from Santiago, starting at $879 per person, double occupancy. A
similar program is available at Queenstown in southern New Zealand
beginning at $619 per person, double occupancy. Optional airfares
can be arranged to both countries. Contact Moguls at (800) 666-4857
or www.skimoguls.com.

Don't lost out on the last gasp of winter.
Bright sunshine, corn snow, T-shirt temperatures, and lengthening
days make spring skiing and riding the crème de la crème, the icing
on the cake, the olive in the martini, the moment we diehards have
been shivering for all frigid season long.

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In recent weeks, Long Hill Township and Watchung Borough passed ordinances allowing their police departments to be able to apply for surplus equipment from the Department of Defense. Long Hill recently procured a Humvee to use in times of flooding, which Watchung states as the reason they are getting into the program. However, in cities around the country, police forces have used the program to obtain military gear, such as weapons and armor.
For more background, go to the link below
http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html